Alarming footage has emerged of a car appearing to catch fire while hanging from a tow truck on Melbourne’s M80 Ring Road.
Parts of the vehicle appear to fly off, narrowly missing other cars in chaotic scenes this afternoon.
Footage shared with Jaqui Felgate on Nine’s 3AW Drive showed the chaos unfolding over several kilometres before the tow truck drive was able to exit at Sydney Road.
The incident ended in a “rather large fire,” Victorian Department of Transport Chris Miller said.
Miller explained that a car hanging from a wheel lift behind the tow truck caused the sparking and eventual fire.
He said the tow truck’s wheel lift may have been installed incorrectly.
Emergency crews extinguished the fire and removed the vehicle from the Sydney Road exit ramp.
“I’m at a loss to explain how you couldn’t notice that,” Miller said.
The incident has been referred to Victoria Police and the state’s tow-truck accreditation team to be reviewed.
Delays on the M80 have since been cleared.
